Tbilisi mad at Moscow

27.05.2011 | 12:48

Tbilisi seizes any opportunity to spite Moscow. Recently the Georgian ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Russia has no right to speak about violation of rights and freedoms in Georgia, as alleged. The parliament considers comments of the Russian ministry of foreign affairs on suppression of opposition as intervention in the country's internal affairs adding that Georgian society "pursues Western ideas" while statements made by Russian diplomats are simply "ridiculous". GeorgiaTimes correspondent spoke about Saakashvili's hysterical regime with Ruslan

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Kharabua, a leading expert of the department of Caucasus at the Institute of CIS Countries.

"Russia has no moral right to speak about freedom of speech and protection of human rights since civil rights are constantly violated in Russia, - the Voice of America quotes Irakli Vekua, deputy director of the press and information department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. - Human rights are discussed by a representative of a state that evicted people from "occupied territories" of Georgia and Russia for ethnic motives".

These words of a high-ranking official of Georgia are pure hysteria, nothing else. He must be well aware that nearly one million Georgians live in Russia and only mafia bosses are deported back home. Representatives of "the main exports item of Georgia", as Mikheil Saakashvili once called them. As for persecution for ethnic reasons - ask citizens of South Ossetia whom Mishiko was so eager to "care for" in August 2008 that he almost razed Tskhinval to the ground.

The most interesting thing is that above mentioned Mr. Vekua had no serious reason to be mad at Moscow. Last weekend international news agencies reported that Georgian police were using tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators rallying against the regime. The fact was registered by video cameras. It's a reasonable remark on the part of Russia reminding Mishiko of the right of freedom that every man has. "These actions can only be considered as hampering the right of assembly and freedom of expression that population and political forces have under the European Convention for Human Rights" - Konstantin Dolgov, plenipotentiary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for human rights and supremacy of law at the Ministry of foreign affairs of Russia remarked.

It should be remarked that the Russian diplomat justly suggested that unless the Georgian government stops using force, further aggravation between the authorities and opposition and destabilization of the situation in the country are inevitable. Strange enough, Tbilisi was enraged: the ministry of foreign and the parliament both got angry.

Akaki Minashvili, chair of the parliamentary committee for external relations went over the limit referring to Russia's criticism as "ridiculous". "This is an attempt of intervention in interior affairs of another country. People that hold demonstrations help Russia to pursue all that, i.e. bring instability, - he exclaimed. - The Georgian society is the bearer of Western values, so Russia's attempts to intervene in Georgia's domestic affairs are doomed to failure".

What kind of intervention did he speak of? Or do Saakashvili's teammates see "Moscow's trace" in ongoing demonstrations? But, firstly, people in front of the Public Broadcaster oppose the current regime. They did not chant praises to the "big neighbor". And secondly, inside Georgia people openly state that Mishiko's high-handedness and his methods of confrontation with the opposition will hit a serious blow to the image of the republic, as was stated by Edward Shevarnadze, former president of the republic. Wouldn't it be wiser for Tbilisi to pay more attention to problems of people on the streets and stop organizing media provocations?

In a conversation with GeorgiaTimes correspondent Ruslan Kharabua, a well-known Russian expert reminded that this situation has been there for quite a long time already. "There was nothing to expect from the Georgian side, - he remarked. - Tbilisi takes advantage of any statement the Russian ministry of foreign affairs makes. I should remind that recently the Georgian parliament recognized genocide of Circassians though they had never cared for the issue. This is a fantasy in the minds of Georgian politicians. Another gesture. Distaste for Moscow. Georgia's way to show its position. This is their essence".

Answering the question if Russophobic sentiment will subside in Georgia's high echelons if Mikheil Saakashvili steps down, our interlocutor said that the republic has no leaders to take control of the country. "Opposition is represented by disunited groups that seek power, - Kharabua said. - But I think that even if Saakashvili leaves, the Russophobic sentiment will remain in Georgia's political circles. The Georgian society is tired of all these troubles. People don't want a president or opposition that fails to coordinate their actions".